Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board garnered top honors at Visit California’s Poppy Awards, the Golden State’s biennial celebration of the best and brightest tourism marketing efforts. L.A. Tourism took home “Best Overall Marketing Program” for its ‘Everyone is Welcome’ imitative as selected by a panel of industry marketing experts. Other finalists in this category included Disneyland Resort and Visit Napa Valley. Categories included best overall marketing programs (at three budget levels), best digital campaign, best content marketing initiative and best public relations campaign.

“The Poppy Awards celebrate California’s innovative, anything-is-possible spirit and raise the bar for travel marketing throughout the state and beyond,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “Congratulations to the winners and finalists whose creativity and dedication inspire their colleagues and elevate California as a world-class tourism destination.”

L.A. Tourism hosted the annual Agent Kai New Year Luncheon at RockSugar Southeast Asian Kitchen at Westfield Century City on Jan. 11, 2018. President & CEO Ernest Wooden Jr. welcomed the group of 31 agents and thanked them for their valued efforts in promoting Los Angeles to the Japanese traveler. The group also toured The Private Suite Century City as well as the newly transformed Westfield Century City after lunch.

L.A. Tourism’s Tamy Martelli, Regional Director for U.S. & Canada, attended Go West Summit in Salt Lake City from January 16-19, 2018. Held annually in the Western U.S., the conference gathers international and receptive tour operators and travel agencies that offer tours and book travel for international clients to West Coast destinations. Tamy successfully conducted 40 one-on-one business meetings with international buyers, sharing the latest and greatest L.A. happenings and developments.

L.A. Tourism’s Korea representative Yae Hwon Kim participated in the Visit USA Committee General Meeting at Aloft Hotel on Jan. 30, 2018. The meeting provided an update on the U.S. tourism market as well as upcoming opportunities for Visit USA Committee members.

L.A. Tourism’s France representative Jean-Benoît conducted destination trainings at Air Tahiti Nui and TUI France at the Sur Mesure department in Lyon on Jan. 16 and 18, respectively. A total 23 travel agents received updates on direct flights to LAX as well as the latest and greatest destination happenings.

L.A. Tourism’s Middle East office conducted two destination training sessions at Al Naboodah Travel and Tourism Agencies in Dubai, UAE on Jan. 10, 2018 and at Al Rais Tours and Holidays in Dubai, UAE on Jan.15, 2018. A total 13 leisure agents from the agencies received updates on the latest L.A. attractions, hotels, new products, and direct air services from the Middle East to LAX.

Organized by Visit California, L.A. Tourism’s Shanghai office participated in a VCA California Club event from Jan. 19-20, 2018. A total 14 travel agents and one airline attended the event, which was themed “Gold in California.” Staff shared updates on direct flights from China to LAX, the latest developments in the destination including attractions, shopping, hotels and events while introducing the L.A. Academy training program and L.A. Tourism’s WeChat account. The California Club program is a series of events of combining networking, team building with training for the trade people in China.

L.A. Tourism’s Beijing office participated in six in-house training sessions hosted by BrandUSA from Jan. 22 - 26, 2018 in Jinan and Qingdao. Staff shared updates on direct flights from China to LAX highlighting Shandong, the latest developments at LAX and in the destination including attractions, shopping, hotels and events while introducing the L.A. Academy training program as well as the newly developed ‘L.A. Mini Products.” More than 240 participants from 35 travel agencies in Shandong with North American tour products attended the trainings.

L.A. Tourism’s Chengdu office conducted an in-house training for Chengdu China Youth Travel Service Co. on Jan. 23, 2018. A total 23 staff from sales, operations and marketing received updates on direct flights from China to LAX highlighting CTU/CKG by Hainan, the latest developments at LAX and in the destination including attractions, shopping, hotels and events while introducing the L.A. Academy training program.

L.A. Tourism’s Beijing office conducted an in-house training at Beijing Lvye International Travel on Jan. 24, 2018 with 15 sales and operations staff attending. Staff shared updates on direct flights from China to LAX highlighting from Beijing via American Airlines, the latest developments at LAX and in the destination including attractions, shopping, hotels and events while introducing the L.A. Academy training program. Founded in 1999, BTG International Travel & Tours is a large state-owned tourism group in Beijing focusing on business tours and tailor-made tours.

L.A. Tourism’s Guangzhou Office conducted two in-house trainings for Shenzhen Joy International Travel Service on Jan. 24 and Shenzhen Jiannan International Travel Service on Jan. 25, 2018, respectively with a total 17 tour operators attending. Staff shared updates on direct flights from China to LAX highlighting SZX via Air China and HKG via Hong Kong Airlines, the latest developments at LAX and in the destination including attractions, shopping, hotels and events while introducing the L.A. Academy training program

In-house Training at Shanghai Jin Jiang ToursL.A. Tourism’s Shanghai office conducted an in-house training at Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours on Jan. 28, 2018 for 60 retail shop and trade sales managers. Staff shared updates on direct flights from China to LAX highlighting from Beijing via American Airlines, the latest developments at LAX and in the destination including attractions, shopping, hotels and events while introducing the L.A. Academy training program as well as L.A. Tourism’s social platforms. Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours is one of the top outbound wholesalers and retail travel agencies in East China, handling 3,200 travelers to L.A. in 2017.

The Academy Museum will be the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies. Located on Wilshire and Fairfax in Los Angeles, the Museum will be simultaneously immersive, experimental, educational, and entertaining. This dynamic film center will offer unparalleled experiences and insights into movies and moviemaking. The Museum will feature six stories of dynamic spaces, including more than 50,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, two theaters, a state-of-the-art education studio, a restaurant and café, a store, and public and special event spaces.

Now on view through Aug. 19, 2018, the most comprehensive exhibition of Genghis Khan and his treasures invades the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for its only Southern California stop on an international tour that has drawn more than a million visitors. The exhibition features loans by private collectors from Mongolia, Azerbaijan and the United States.

New York restaurants and bars are in a Los Angeles state of mind these days, with numerous Michelin-starred and James Beard Award winning chefs from the Big Apple opening locations in the City of Angels. And there's more on the way, with Milk Bar opening soon on Melrose, Five Leaves in East Hollywood, and award-winning cocktail bar, Employees Only in West Hollywood. Read on for New York chefs that have recently headed west to cook in Zagat's "most exciting food city in America."

LINXS' proposal had the highest technical score and the lowest cost proposal of the three teams that participated in the procurement process. LAWA will present a 30-year contract valued at approximately $4.5 billion to the BOAC and City Council for approval. The contract includes milestone payments for the design and construction phases, as well as authorizes future payments for operating and maintaining the APM for the contract period.